Kobolds are a major problem in my trap setups. Not because they aren't killed by most traps, and not because they can make it to the rift very easily without player intervention, but because they set off all of my traps without actually being effected by them.

This causes a problem where a kobold will run through my traps, setting all of them off, and causing them to all need to reset. Meanwhile, a wave of orcs will come waltzing through my defences because all of my traps are resetting themselves.

I've tried placing brimstone almost immediately after the rift (brimstone is one of the few traps that kobolds will be affected by). This helps immensely with the kobold sappers (the one's with the explosives) because they're normally the first ones out of the rifts, and it sometimes helps with regular kobolds, but the problem is that sometimes kobolds come after the first few orcs have already wasted my brimstone.

What is the easiest and most reliable way to deal with kobolds? I would prefer if there's a strategy that needs no player intervention, but I'm starting to think that I'm just going to have to keep an eye out and shoot them quickly.

3 Answers
3

+1 to Kelox for the grinder, as this is by far the most effective way to deal with both kobolds and sappers. However, because of their short range, they are not always an option, so here are a few other options:

Tar pits. The tar pits slow kobolds down to about the speed of a normal orc, which slows them down enough for your other traps to hit them.
These are especially effective with the ceiling-mace - a single ceiling-mace with tar-tiles below it will kill all kobolds and weak/medium orcs (and heavy orcs, with upgrades) if you can force them to walk along the length of the mace, leaving only trolls/ogres to deal with.

Barricades + Grinders. If the hallway is too wide, you can force enemies to walk near the grinders using barricades. Note that this only works in a level without sappers, as sappers will destroy the barricades.

Traps with long range will hit them when placed parallel to their movement (rather than perpendicular like usual). For instance, place arrow-traps on the wall they face just before they turn a corner.

Archers are extremely good at taking out smaller enemies like Kobolds and Sappers. They're only useful when they can be placed far enough away that they won't be attacked. Also, be wary on levels with Gnoll Hunters, as they will go out of their way to kill your Archers.

Kill them manually. If you are good at shooting, get a fast-shooting weapon (like the sorceress's staff, or the crossbow) and take them out yourself. And if your aim isn't so good, using the alchemist's satchel (which does splash in a large radius) can be very effective in taking out large groups of kobolds - made even more effective with tar-pits, since the kobolds will group up

The shock-zapper and brimstone will also kill them, but (as you found out) are not particularly effective at it.

At the time I was playing as the Sorceress and didn't have access to any of the traps here. I've since switched to the War Mage and tar traps just make these guys a non issue, they become just like any other mob.
–
Mr SmoothAug 3 '12 at 21:38

Mr Smooth, try grinders w/ ice or steam traps on the Sorceress. They aren't as good as tar in some ways, but fill a similar role. Brimstone isn't too popular, but I find it works wonders on kobolds for me (in both OMD1 & OMD2).
–
Red_TractorAug 12 '12 at 15:29

The primary attack with the chain lightning ring is also very effective as it can take out an entire column of kobols and sappers.
–
ChristopherAug 20 '12 at 7:32

I find the grinder trap to be incredibly effective at dealing with kobolds. With the unique upgrade to clear jams quicker, and one normal upgrade (for faster jam clearing), a single grinder trap was resetting it's bar to full between each kobold.

The only problem is grinders have a relatively short range, so you need to make the kobolds pass by a wall.

Dunno if anyone's tried this but I feel the Wind Belt is actually quite effective for the Sappers anyway. Upgrade the primary to increase range if you like and when you knock them back with the primary attack they just blow up when they land, killing even more Kobolds with their own explosion. It's wonderful.